Greg has been using Dryer Master since 1993, so that is a total of 25 years! In that time he has upgraded from his original DM150 model and added a second system. He now runs his a new DM510 on his Zimmerman VT2541 tower dryer and his older DM500 on his Farm Fans CMS-1000H. He typically dries about 1.4 million bushels a year of corn and occasionally soybeans.

How much training was required to operate the Dryer Master?

4-6 hours initially, then some followup when we upgraded models.

How often do you calibrate your sensors?

Twice daily, unless there is a wide variation in wet test weight, then we check more often.

Have you contacted the Dryer Master Support Centre? What was your experience?

Yes, we upgraded one unit and replaced another. TechSupp was excellent at preparing us for the switch over and correcting the minor problems that cropped up.

Is there anything you would like to see improved in the Dryer Master?

There are read outs for inlet grain temp, outlet grain temp, and plenum temp, but not for grain temp (in the column). We have to go outside to the dryer
panel to view this.

DM Comment: This could be an option in the future. For now we have tried to keep the operation and installation as simple as possible and only gather information that will be used in the control calculations. The grain temps from the moisture sensor are used in the moisture reading calculations and the plenum temp is monitored so that the the control model can be immediately updated if the dryer operator changes their drying temp. The grain column temp is not used in the control calculations so it would only be provided for informational purposes.

Joe has had a Dryer Master for 20 years. He started with a DM500 and recently updated to a DM510 model. His site dries about 500,000 bushels a year of corn and wheat and sometimes soybeans with their Zimmerman dryer. The first photo is of the outlet sensor installation.

Why did you buy a Dryer Master in the first place?
The Dryer Master allowed us to have an inlet sensor which helps with anticipating the speed of the dryer whether in automatic or manual. Before we were chasing and guessing but after it was installed it allowed us to be a lot more consistent in our drying.

How often do you typically calibrate your outlet moisture sensor? And what is your calibration procedure?
Depending on time, help and operator we usually calibrate it every hour to once or twice a day. The calibration process is so easy we have incorporated it into our dryer checks.

Do you use DM-Mobile? If so how do you use it (phone/PC/home/at night?), how often do you use it?
We do use the DM-Mobile, mostly though a PC but occasionally with a smartphone. Anytime we leave the dryer to go to another part of the plant it allows us to monitor the dryer. We found that the biggest help is it allows you to take your experienced guys and use them where they are needed but they can also work through and teach less experienced personnel and while still keeping an eye on the dryer.

Any other advice or comments you would like to pass on to someone ?
The Dryer Master team does a great job providing service and technical support to their customers. It is reassuring knowing that during the middle of harvest you can call and troubleshoot a problem with a person who knows the product and cares.

Jared is a new Dryer Master user who added a Dryer Master to his Grain Handler dryer in 2016. He uses it to dry about 250,000 bushels of corn a year.

Did anything surprise you about how your Dryer Master worked when you first used it?

I was very pleased with the simplicity and how user friendly the DM510 was to learn and operate.

Do you use DM-Mobile? If so how do you use it (phone/PC/home/at night?), how often do you use it?

Since I’m in the field and not at our dryer, I use DM Mobile all day every day to continually monitor the dryer. I also check DM-Mobile just before I go to bed and get text alerts if something goes wrong. This feature is near real time with only a few seconds of latency. It gives me peace of mind knowing the dryer is working properly when I’m away from our bin site.

Any other advice or comments you would like to pass on to someone?

Don’t let the price of the DM 510 scare you away. It’s definitely worth the investment because over or under dried grain can be very costly. Also, Dryer Master’s customer support has exceeded my expectations! They have been great to work with.

Chris has a Grain Handler 2416 dryer that he uses to dry about 500,000 bushels of White and Yellow Food Grade Corn. He has had his DM510 for 2 years now. His DM510 is conveniently located right next to where he does his manual moisture tests.

Why did you buy a Dryer Master in the first place?

We bought the DM510 to automate and remotely control our Grain Handler 2416.

How often do you typically calibrate your outlet moisture sensor? And what is your calibration procedure?

During harvest we sample and calibrate every 1 to 1.5 hours. We press the sample button, run it through our Perten tester three times, average the results, and enter the moisture into the DM510.

Do you use DM-Mobile? If so how do you use it (phone/PC/home/at night?), how often do you use it?

Yes, I monitor the dryer via an IPad while in the combine during the day and use my IPhone at home after work. It is used all the time the dryer is running.

Trevor dries less than 250,000 bushels annually of corn and wheat with his Grain Handler dryer. He has had his Dryer Master DM510 for three seasons now.

What had you heard about Dryer Master before you purchased one?
Advanced Grain Handling suggested a Dryer Master because that is what they had and really liked it. We wanted something that was smart phone capable and we are glad we got the Dryer Master.

Why did you buy a Dryer Master in the first place?
To be more productive… We couldn’t run 24 hours a day before the Dryer Master because we didn’t want to under dry or over dry.. with the Dryer Master we can run 24 hours a day which is huge to getting our crop off before the weather changes in North Dakota… Every day is crucial and we have to be able to get the crop off and dry it down!

How does the Dryer Master change the way that you dry, or alter your drying operations froman operational perspective?
We decreased paying a guy to baby sit the dryer all day. With Dryer Master we can look at our phones when we are not by it. Semi drivers and always monitoring it when dumping their trucks. We dialed in our set point for our dryer and it comes out consistent throughout our desired moisture for storage.

Did anything surprise you about how your Dryer Master worked when you first used it?
It took awhile to get used to it and a lot of phone calls just to get everything set but now we are familiar with everything.

Have you found a financial difference in your drying performance using Dryer Master? In whatway?
Any kind of product that can give you a return on your investment is crucial in this business. This monitoring system pays for itself yearly in our eyes with the elevators being so aggressive on drying and shrink charges.